The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1887-05-14

WILLIE PLATES RAILROAD AND NEW PARISH
PROJECTS, &C.
N. @. City Item, May 7.
Meeting iovial, Warn1-harted Edward j.
Conway, of st. Landry parish, last evening,
after exchanging salntations the Item inquir-
ed as to his business in the city.
II am here this trip on railroad business,
hs replied.
"Haye you given up planting and stock
raising and gone to railroading Y queried the
scribe.
mo; not exactly that But the people iu
my neighborhood need rail connection with
the outer world, and for the purpose of max
ing a reality of their wishes a company has
been formed, of which am vice-president. /
was delegated to see Mr.. Wheelock, of the
Texas and Pacific Railroad, which line we de-
sire to tap, and ascertain what encouragement
we could expect from that corporation"
Item-Have you data to demonstrate that
the undertaking will pay
Mr.. Conway-We have figures that think
will convince the T. and P. officials that it is
to their advantage to have the branch road
constructed. will illustrate in few words
Vile Plate, thriving inland town, is the
center from which we get our supplies and
make shipments. The distance from there to
Opelousas or Washington, on the Morgan
road, with which We connect by wagons only,
is eighteen miles. From Vile Plate to Nor
row station, on the T. and p road, the dis
tance is only about twelve miles. The country
between these towns being formerly prairie,
the road bed can be constructed cheaply--say
for $4,000 mile. Over this road we will
ship yearly, with even the present amount OF
soil in cultivation, from 1000 to 10, 600 bales
of cotton, from SO, 900 to go, 900 barrels OF rice
upwards of 500, 600 dozen of eggs, and poultry
and other products IN proportion. to say moth
ing of the travel. Besides, the freight on our
necessary supplies will prove no small item
of income.
Item-Does Mr.. Whceiock look upon the
enterprise fayorably
Mr.. Conway-Yes: / eonversed with him
today in regard to the matter, and be in
structed me as to the proper manner in which
to draw up the papers. The building OF this
tap would also prove of benefit to some OF the
land recently entered by bondholders of the
L. and p.
Item Speaking of land has there been any
perceptible increase in value of late?
Mr. Conway--Thera has been decided in
crease, aud yet land is still in demand. Land
that five years ago could have been bought
readily at $5 per acre can not now be had fol
less than $l2 so, and there is little for sale al
that figure. [The gentleman here exhibited
written offer of $l2 so per acre for tract
of some 2i00 acres that he controlled.1 II
the little town of Vile Plate real estate has
increased in value fully SO per cent in the pasl
chase lot 80 by $50 feet and made an o6el
for it, but the price demanded was $3.50.
/. em-Is there anything substantial to war
rant this increase in values2
Mr.. Conway is certainly as mucf
solidity as there is in mining ventures in Ala
bania and Tennessee. In the first place hay
can be gathered baled and delivered at tht
railruad-with even our present facilities-a
fraction over 50 per bale. Forty bushel
of corn to the acre can be raised without any
fertiliZing whatever, and the yield of cotton
peas. and other products is far above th'
Southern average. while for stock raising it i
perhaps the best portion of this State. And
am not alone in this view, as is evidenced
by the fact that the country is rapidly filling
up, the broad prairies of q few years ago being
transformed into fertile farms.
Item-Is there much idle labor in st. Ian
dry
there il not only work for all, but we win Civ,
employment TO others If they will come amonl
ms. We have greater acreage in cotton ant
corn this year than ever before.
Iten--What h fhe present outlook for th'
cFops9
Mr. Conway III Was never brighter. Tn
rain q few days ago frightened everything Vi
wonderfully.
Ttem-Wfth 80 much prosperity the peopl
of yonr section should certainly feel content
ed
Mr.. Conway-They are not entirely 50
There is one question being seriously agitate,
| in which they feel deep concern. That
| the formation of anew parish out Of the sonth
| western corner of st. Landry.
Item-Why, Acadia parish has only recent
| ly been carved out of st. Landrya
/ Mr.. Conway-That is nothing. st. Landry
is still one Of the largest parishes in the State
| and our section is possessed of both the re
quiste number of square miles and populatie
| for new parish.
Item-Why this desire
Mr.. Conway--We are not satisfied with th
present parochial government, and think W
| could manage our affairs better if we ba
| them under our immediate control. We hay
made all necessary surveys and locked ate
other matters pertainiag to the change, an'
/ shall place the question properly before th
4 Legislature at its next session.